1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the field of distance learning (or distance education).
2. Discussion of the Background
The concept of distance learning dates back over 100 years. Correspondence courses, one of the earliest forms of distance learning, was in wide spread use at the beginning of the 20th century. Students enrolled in such correspondence classes would receive by mail packages containing learning materials and assignments. The students also used the mail to send completed assignments to the instructor.
As communication tools developed, so did the opportunities for distance learning. Radio and television are two technologies that greatly enhanced the distance learning experience. With the advent of the Internet and the World Wide Web (a.k.a., “the web”), many in the teaching community believed that this technology would revolutionize distance learning, giving instructors the tools necessary to more effectively teach at distance.
To some extent, the Internet and the web has revolutionized distance learning. A quick search of the web reveals hundreds of opportunities for distance learning. Distance learning opportunities from learning a foreign language to programming in C++ are all easily available.
However, some courses are not suited well to distance learning. One example of such courses are information technology (IT) training courses. A typical IT training course exercise requires a student to spend time in a “hands-on” lab that is set up with multiple computers (also referred to as “machines”), with each computer being set up with a different operating system.